The Golden Nugget Gourmet

For over four years, after removing a large crop of weeds, we had this big round patch of dirt on our front yard.  However, rather than just grass it over, we lived with the eyesore because I had big plans for that circle.  This whole time I have been telling our neighbors, many of which are Terp faculty, staff, alumni, or family, that I planned to replicate the Maryland "M" on our front yard. Well, 2020 was the year we finally got it done, and just in time for Maryland's Homecoming.  And the best part is it lights up at night! First Scott (aka Dr. Evil at UMD) created a template that laid out exactly how many bricks I would need to create the M in the front circle.  I got the bricks with three holes in them so that there could be lights in each hole and the whole M would gently glow.  Luckily, our friend and neighbor Reggie, who is an architect, brought up the concern of pooling water when we told him about our idea of using lights, so we changed our initial design to in

Next time you are making your favorite chili, throw a can of 100% pumpkin puree into the mix. Why? Pumpkin is a superfood jam packed with with antioxidants, disease-fighting vitamins, and fiber ( Greatist , 2013). I love letting my chili simmer for a long time, so instead of having to tend to it all day over the stove, I throw it together in my crockpot in the evening and let it cook on low overnight. The tomatoes develop a richer flavor the longer they simmer and when done, you have the convenience of leaving the chili in the crock and setting it to warm until you are ready to serve. If you are looking for a crowd-pleasing chili recipe, my current go to is  World's Best Chili Recipe (AKA Bill's Chili)  from  Cupcake and Kale Chips.  Here is a slightly adapted recipe for the crockpot with my addition of a 15oz can of Libby's Pumpkin. Ingredients: 2 lbs lean ground beef 1 lb stew beef, cut into about one inch chunks 1/4 lb bacon, diced in small pieces 1 small red bell pepper

So this sweater weather has me craving comfort food, especially Cajun Chicken Alfredo.  This quick and easy recipe adapted from Tasty did not disappoint! We are on round two tonight!  Ingredients: 4 cups penne pasta, cooked 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1 Cup Cooked Andouille Sausage, sliced 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup parmesan cheese 1/4 cup fresh parsley Directions: Cook penne pasta as directed on box. Heat oil in a large pot (I prefer a wok) over high heat. Cook the sausage, chicken, and garlic until the garlic turns golden and the chicken is no longer pink. Sprinkle the Cajun Seasoning and stir to evenly coat the sausage and chicken. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, stirring until evenly mixed. Add the parmesan, stirring until cheese melts and the pasta is coated with a thick sauce. Turn off the burner, add the parsley, and gently mix. Serve and enjoy! Makes approximately 4 servings. GNG Tip: If you prefer makin